The present invention relates to video displays and, more particularly, to a method, a system, and a computer program product for controlling stereo glasses.
Due to the upsurge of 3D movies and mature development of 3D displays, 3D images, which could only be seen in theatres in the past, can now be watched at homes.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional timing for enhancing a viewing experience when display content is viewed utilizing stereo glasses. A first left image L1 intended for viewing only by a left eye is sent by over a communication medium 11 first. Thereafter, there is a pause, namely, the vertical blanking interval (VBI) 12. Next, a first right image R1 intended for only the right eye is then sent, and so forth. An example of such a conventional timing is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,724,211 B2.
The right eye shutter and the left eye shutter of the stereo glasses are controlled independently. A right eye control signal 13 can be utilized to control the right eye shutter, and a left eye control signal 15 can be utilized to control the right eye shutter. The left eye shutter of the stereo glasses may be controlled such that the left eye shutter is in an open orientation at least for the duration of a first set of vertical blanking intervals (VBI) 12. In a similar manner, the right eye shutter of the stereo glasses may be controlled such that the right eye shutter is in the open orientation at least for the duration of a second set of vertical blanking intervals (VBI) 14. The first set of vertical blanking intervals 12 alternate with the second set of vertical blanking intervals 14, and they both occur between periods during which right eye content or left eye content is received from a content source.
The right eye shutter and the left eye shutter of the stereo glasses may be controlled such that the right eye shutter and the left eye shutter simultaneously remain in the closed orientation for a predetermined amount of time 16. As shown, such predetermined amount of time 16 represents a time during which the first left image L1 has been partially overwritten by the first right image R1. Thus, by ensuring that both the right eye shutter and the left eye shutter of the stereo glasses simultaneously remain in the closed orientation during such time, the right eye content is prevented from reaching the left eye and the left eye content is prevented from reaching the right eye.
Thus, the left eye shutter is in the open orientation only for the duration of the first set of vertical blanking intervals 12 (i.e., when only left eye content is being displayed, etc.). Further, the right eye shutter of the stereo glasses is in the open orientation only for the duration of the second set of vertical blanking intervals 14 (i.e., when only right eye content is being displayed, etc.). Thus, such predetermined amount of time 17 represents an entire time frame in which the first left image L1 has been partially overwritten by the first right image R1, and so on.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,724,211 B2, the right eye shutter and the left eye shutter of the stereo glasses are controlled to switch between a closed orientation and an open orientation, and the right eye shutter and the left eye shutter of the stereo glasses can remain in the closed orientation for a predetermined amount of time 16, 17. However, in this controlling method, each of the right eye shutter and the left eye shutter in the closed orientation and during the predetermined amount of time 16, 17 cannot perceive any light, such that a strong contrast of brightness and darkness occurs when the right eye shutter and the left eye shutter switches between the closed orientation and the open orientation, and eyestrain occurs easily. It is, thus, an important issue in this industry to solve the above problem.